Carnegie leave Redpath playing waiting game

BRYAN REDPATH is keen to extend his stay as head coach of high-flying Yorkshire Carnegie but the Leeds-based club’s top brass is reluctant to come to the negotiating table.

Redpath signed a twoyear deal in March 2015 and the former Scotland and Lions scrum-half wants his future resolved this side of Christmas.

However, it is understood the Yorkshire board are playing a waiting game before deciding if the 45year-old is the right man to take them forward.

Redpath, the former Gloucester and Sale boss, has added some muchneeded stability since joining the club amid a turbulent 2014/15 campaign.

But last year’s disappointing exit in the Championship play-offs to Doncaster and the tame defeat to London Welsh in the 2016 B&I Cup final means the jury is still out.

Although Carnegie started this season with seven straight wins, the manner of some of those victories were less than impressive, and they were a distinct second-best to London Irish in last weekend’s top-of-thetable clash, losing 41-17.

Yorkshire’s new owners demand Premiership rugby but the team’s performance at the Madejski suggests they are a long way from achieving that goal.

One change has recently taken place to the Carnegie coaching staff with Lions legend Alan Tait no longer involved with the squad.

Tait had been working as defence coach on a two-day a week consultancy basis.

Redpath, forwards coach Steve Boden and attack Jimmy Lowes are now sharing the responsibility.

Meanwhile, plans to start the £38m redevelopment of Headingley are on hold. The South Stand was due to be rebuilt after Christmas but planning permission has yet to be granted or the sale of two areas of land for housing, which will partly fund the project.